Our Story

The idea for The Modern Barn® was conceived in 2006, when Al Giaquinto and architect David Sherwood designed a great room in a large home in East Hampton. The concept was quite simple: an open floor plan, an extraordinary 18-foot kitchen island where people could gather, and the successful incorporation of kitchen, dining, and living functions into a single, harmonious space. The great room became known as "The Modern Barn Room," and was a space that families who saw it immediately envisioned all of the social and culinary activities that could take place there, and how successful the expansive space could be in bringing the generations together.

The room inspired the now trademarked Modern Barn design concept: entire homes designed around the concepts of large, open spaces for families to connect and communicate. Equal parts spacious and cozy, The Modern Barn® design is the intersection of the framework of a barn with the modern amenities that are the hallmark of signature, luxury custom Hamptons homes.

The Modern Barn Experience

" The Modern Barn enhances people's life, their activities, and their overall lifestyle." - Al Giaquinto

The Modern Barn is a place for people to escape the hustle and cramped spaces of the city and come together as a unit in functional, beautifully designed luxury custom homes inspired by light, expansion, and the outdoors.

Signature elements include oversized barn doors, two-story foyers, exposed beams, expansive kitchens, and retractable walls to provide communal spaces for large gatherings, and intimate spaces for privacy and autonomy. Modern Barn homes have traditional exteriors that blend in with the communities in which they are built. Inside, they have open, spacious, contemporary floorplans and finishes that are characteristic of luxury homes.

Each Modern Barn is crafted with organic, locally-sourced, and renewal materials.

OurCompany

Three decades of integrity in custom home building

Al and Mary Giaquinto's custom home design legacy goes back to 1986, when they founded the Plum Builders Inc. home building company in The Hamptons.

Over the past 35 years, the Giaquinto's have built custom homes with integrity, respecting the intricacies of the design process, and anticipating buyers' needs. Al Giaquinto has developed a proprietary Design/Build process that ensures successful completion that is on time, and within budget.

Our Process

At Plum Builders, we pride ourselves on our open, clear communication before, during, and after the project. We have developed a signature end to end Design/Build process through which we "build as we design." As a result, we stay on budget, on time, and exceed our buyers' expectations. Our buyers are busy, active people, and we respect their time and needs. We've streamlined the process and eliminated surprises.

All design is done in-house at Plum, which is a stark difference between our company and many other local home builders. Al works directly with the staff architects when designing each Modern Barn, creating a cohesive process with superior results.

Our Team

Plum Builders offers a team experience that combines architect, interior designer and builder into one. Start to finish. From concept to completion. Plum is there every step of the way. Our sustained success has come from our integrated services that successfully deliver a streamlined project through one responsible partner.

Al Giaquinto

President

Mary Giaquinto

Vice President and Chairwoman

Maritza Guichay

Chief Financial Controller

Catherine Tremblay

Manager of Design and Production

Angelina Thomas

Construction Project Manager

Salvatore Lantiere

Construction Project Manager

James Giustiniani

Junior Draftsman and Architectural Visualization Developer

John Larmor

Head of Architectural Design and Project Manager

Sarah Prescott

Executive Assistant

Al Giaquinto

President

Al Giaquinto, a General Contractor, is president of Plum Builders, Inc. Over the past three decades, Al has earned credentials as a Master Builder that few others can claim. His residential construction industry credentials include Certified Graduate Remodeler, Certified Green Professional, and Graduate Master Builder. Al's proven devotion to creating exceptional, modern family dwellings is unmatched. The Modern Barn is born of his passion for architecture and over 35 years of design-build experience.

Mary Giaquinto

Vice President and Chairwoman

Mary's priorities center around the marketing activities that sustain the company's creative edge as a successful family business in a changing industry. Mary has a Certification in Construction Project Management from NYU Continuing Education as well as a BA in English Literature from the University of Cincinnati. In addition to making a fantastic cheesecake, Mary has run the East End half marathon seven times.

Maritza Guichay

Chief Financial Controller

Maritza is an MBA candidate (June 2018) at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College and holds a BA in Business Administration from Stony Brook University. Maritza is actively involved in community leadership, dedicating her free time to the development and growth of the Latino community through educational workshops and conferences. She is a member of Organizacion Juventud Ecuatoriana and the Chairwoman of the Latino Advisory Committee of East Hampton.

Catherine Tremblay

Manager of Design and Production

Catherine has been a member of the Plum Team for 5 years. From her early start in marketing to her current position of Manager of Design and Production, she has put her BA in English and Secondary Education to use on a daily basis! Currently, Catherine is pursuing the AKBA certification. She has 5 years OTJ training and many professional education design credits to her name.

John Larmor

Head of Architectural Design and Project Manager

John holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Michigan and has over 10 years of combined working experience in architecture and landscape architecture. His work is focused primarily in high-end, modern residential design. In his free time, John enjoys drawing, sculpture, and kayaking. He is currently perfecting the art of the East End beach fire on a “weekend-ly” basis.

Angelina Thomas

Construction Project Manager

Angelina has AAS degrees in Civil Engineering and Project Management, as well as a BAS in Construction Management Engineering Technology. She has experience in both property and project management. Her extensive project management experience and love of construction enable her to see a project through from start to finish. She enjoys being outdoors most of all, spending time hiking, camping, bike riding with her children and husband.

James Giustiniani

Junior Draftsman and Architectural Visualization Developer

James is a 5th-year student at the New York Institute of Technology and is exceptionally skilled in 3D rendering design and architecture design. Here at Plum, he is completely in charge of creating 3D walkthrough videos and helps with architectural development. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Staten Island, he's a long-time New Yorker whose hobbies consist of fitness (including bodybuilding competitions), sketching, and design.

Salvatore Lantiere

Construction Project Manager

Sal is a CUNY Baruch graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Marketing. As an East End native, he knows The Hamptons well and has three decades of experience in contracting, construction, and maintenance. He enjoys giving back to the local community as a Volunteer Firefighter. Sal has three daughters, Alyssa, Alexa, and Ava, with his wife, Theresa. Together, they enjoy traveling and participating in charity runs.

Sarah Prescott

Executive Assistant

Sarah serves as head of all internal communication and production from top to bottom of the Plum Team ladder. She holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and Economics and is also an NYS Realtor. She has a passion for Interior Design attending many trade fairs for ideas and continuing education. Sarah is an avid traveler, loves to play sports, and volunteers her time on weekends.